What Are the Colorful Boulders near Jean?

We drove in from southern California for the first time in six years last week and noticed several columns of colorful boulders sitting on top of each other near the Jean exit. When did those happen, who did them, and what are they?

The columns of stacked and painted boulders comprise the art installation called “Seven Magic Mountains.”

The work of Swiss-born New York-based mixed-media artist Ugo Rondinone, it's a large-scale public-art exhibition, installed in 2016 with financial backing from the Nevada Museum of Art, Aria Hotel-Casino, and IGT.

“Seven Magic Mountains” consists of seven 30- to 35-feet-tall "totems" of 33 car-sized boulders, each weighing about 20 tons and cut from a Nevada quarry. They’re painted in day-glo-bright yellows, purples, reds, blues, and other colors — “a creative expression of human presence in the desert.”

Opened in May 2016, Seven Magic Mountains was originally scheduled to remain for only two years, but the contract was extended through 2027.

Millions of people have made the pilgrimage to the site to take selfies with the vivid cairns in the background, but graffiti has gotten worse over the years, necessitating a lot of volunteer clean-up hours. The installation has been repainted twice since 2016, but not because of defacing; rather, the colors fade due to being exposed to the elements.

The vandalism wasn't a problem until RM, the leader of the Korean pop group BTS, posted selfies on Instagram in front of the boulders. Apparently, fans of the boy band deem the boulders a blank canvas and seeing graffiti seems to encourage more.

Anyway, to experience Seven Magic Mountains up close and personal, graffiti or not, drive south on I-15 and get off at Sloan Road (Exit 25). From there, continue south on Las Vegas Boulevard for seven miles; you can’t miss the exhibit on your left. Coming from California, take the Jean exit (#12) and go right on NV 161 to Las Vegas Blvd.; in five miles, it’ll be on your right. There’s an onsite parking lot, but no facilities.

No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

Have a question that hasn't been answered? Email us with your suggestion.

Missed a Question of the Day?

Have a Question?

Tomorrow's Question

Has Clark County ever considered legalizing prostitution?

Comments

Dave_Miller_DJTB Nov-26-2022

Construction / deconstruction

If you do a google search of seven magic mountains construction and select images, you’ll see:

A. They excavated the top soil (and eventually returned it).
B. Each pillar sits atop a concrete pedestal. 
C. Each stone has a hole about 6” diameter cut thru it. Presumably these were filled with rebar and concrete to tie them together and lock them to the pedestal. Not even a hurricane is pushing them over. 
D. They were painted after assembly. 

Considering how secure they are, how popular an attraction they are, and that there is nothing but worthless desert land for miles around, why is there any plan to ever remove them?

Randall Ward Nov-26-2022

painted rocks

not really a fan, I guess some people like it but not worth visiting to me.

Ray Nov-26-2022

You are so right, Dave

This could just be left alone like the "Cadillac Ranch" (or whatever it is called) near Amarillo. Even if there is an occasional token cleanup cost involved, it's just a harmless curiosity. I'm sure if they surrounded it with slot machines it would be allowed to remain forever.

Kevin Rough Nov-26-2022

Graffiti

I've been to see them a few times.  Strangely I find them interesting.  However the last time we were there in late 2021 they were covered in so much graffiti.  I hope they can get that under control.

KennyA Nov-27-2022

security

If they don't even have bathrooms at the display I doubt they will be installing cameras or live guards in order to stop graffiti. Most likely just cheaper to repaint.

Question of the Day - 26 November 2022

Comments